Egypt Oberoi Ship-Which side of ship is better for room?
I am sure either side is fine but sometimes there is an advantage to being on one side versus the other on a ship. Any thoughts from those that have been? The larger rooms in the back look nice but unfortunately they have already been booked for the date we need.
Thanks for any input.
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Comments
Most of the time you will want to be out of your room so it doesn’t matter.
IIRC, the boat docked on the left bank of the river most of the time. It can be noisy along the shore at night (Vehicles, loading, etc.), so being on the water side might be quieter for sleeping.
I agree with being outside. Nice views from the top deck, when there's something to see.
So according to my way of thinking, it the ship docks on the left bank and the cruise is going northbound then the better option may be the starboard side (right side when facing the front of the ship).
And yes, we will most definitely be out of the room at most times but I much prefer to be on the opposite side from the dock although some river cruises stack the boats so then you are only a few feet from an adjacent ship!
Thanks for responding!
billybowlegs - the ship sails southbound, (at least it did for us) from Luxor to Aswan.
For me the side of the ship made no difference. Whenever we were sailing during the day we went up top to have unobstructed views in both directions. When docked and on the ship it is pretty much dark and hard to see anything from your room anyway. The noise on one side vs the other didn't matter to me either. You can hear the call to prayer sirens from both sides of the boat. 😀
The boat went southbound on my tour.
Got it, thanks!
In reality, it doesn't matter if you are travelling north or south on the Nile. When riverboats dock, they always point the front of the boat into the current, as if they are travelling upstream. In the case of the Nile, the above holds true because the water flows from south to north, so the boat docks in the direction of travel (to the south on my tour). If you're on another river and choosing a cabin, based on docked position, keep that in mind.
BKMD is correct as to moored direction of the ship, however what you see also depends on which side of the river the historical site is located. In Aswan and at the twin temples of Kom Ombo (and crocodile museum), the ship moores on the east bank so the bow will be pointed south and the left side will be against the mooring wall. Edfu is on the West Bank so when moored the ship will face south with the right side against the wall. The ship will dock on the east bank in Luxor and does not move (Karnak and Luxor temples are on the east bank, but the temple of Hatshepsut, Valley of Queens and Valley of Kings, etc are on the West Bank. Also due to local govt restrictions, the river boats are not allowed to dock along the Luxor Cornish near the temples- we docked several blocks(?) 1 - 2 miles south of Luxor in front of a random hotel and had to pass thru lobby/security.
In my opinion this discussion has gone way beyond anything of importance. I’d say which side of the boat your room is on, which direction the ship faces when moored, etc. are about the 1,000th most important details to worry about on this trip.
The tour is great. You’re going to have a good time. Soak it all in. 😁
Yes, but apparently, inquiring minds want to know. 😁
Yes, Sam. Some people are here to learn. Isn't that what travelling is all about?!
AlanS - The Professor
BKMD - The Eye Doctor
You guys both know enough. Traveling should be fun and learning something is OK also. 😀
That said, it might be taking learning a bit too far when you get to the detail above. What's next, the maximum RPMs turned by the riverboat and how it varies going upstream vs downstream? What RPM is the optimum for noise?
Here's about all I need to know about the boat.
Sam - Gilligan
Depends on the salinity of the water, alcohol content of your drink, and brand of hearing aids you wear! 😁. 😁. 😁
Alan - Who is higher on the Nerd scale, a professor or an eye doctor? 😂😂
Alan - I agree with you. I think Sam's been drinking today. Either that, or the triple digit Arizona heat is getting to him already...
You guys have too much time on your hands.
You guys are a lot of fun, keep it up.
FYI for you and anyone else who is not aware- Tauck uses two Oberoi Nile River boats for their tours of Egypt - the Zahra, a “modern looking” boat that is nice, and an ”old, traditional looking” Nile cruiser, the Philea. Don’t be fooled by their exteriors! A few years ago, the Philae was stripped down to its bare metal hull and decks and underwent a total redesign and refit - When rebuilt it was reconfigured from 44 cabins to just 22 very large, modern and luxurious ones. The two most aft cabins on the port and starboard are especially noteworthy- they are the largest and each have a private deck that looks aft and, no joke, their own hot tubs. When rumor of this got out the couple staying there invited the rest of our Tauck small group to see their cabin.
Zahra
Philea